Before posting in this marketing forum, please try to read 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book: Online Book Marketing on Any Budget. This forum is mainly for followup questions and discussion after reading that book. This forum does indeed allow for much broader discussion of marketing and promotion than just that book, but it's good for everyone to be on the same page about the basics.

Please note, this forum is not for self-promotional plugs. It's for discussing how to promote your book or other writing.

Just finished reading the book and loved it! The part warning against promoting your book too soon to an in-person book club is spot on. I belong to an in-person book club and this situation arose with an author several months ago. The author joined and attended one get-together (we occasionally schedule outings aside from the book meetings). She told the organizer that she wrote a book and requested permission to email the members her manuscript. The book was in pre-order status on Amazon; she was interested in having people read the book and then post an Amazon review. Well, she never attended a book meeting or outing after that. Guess what...no one read the book.

My point is that I am sure we would have all read the book and posted a review if: A) she had continued to attend meetings; and B) as you mentioned in your book, she had waited to request that people read her book vs. requesting it at the first meeting and then never returning

Book read and Amazon review posted. Thought it was a great guide and glad that you mentioned the importance of social media. I am finding a lot of books that I want to read by getting to know authors in on line book clubs.

A few days ago, I was having lunch at Panera Bread with my husband, when the thought occurred to me that the restaurant would be the perfect place to have a Meet an Author event. Other places of interest would include book stores, libraries, Starbucks, and even craft shows. These places constantly advertise events at the entrance or the cash register. Why shouldn't you be one of them? But I digress.
I thought to myself that I ought to write to the managers of these businesses to schedule a Meet an Author event, but after some brainstorming, I concluded that there is a certain way to do this. You don't want to appear pushy or narcissistic, so how should you word the letter?
A nice letter should read much like an agent query, but should include the following:
1. A nice greeting, like, "To the Manager of Panera Bread." Or even better, try to find out their name.
2. First Paragraph: Introduce yourself and explain that you are a local author who would like to host an author event at the place of business, for the following reasons:
3. Second Paragraph: First reason: The event would benefit the business by driving higher levels of customer traffic to the store on that particular day, which would result in more sales for them. The only sacrifice on their part would be one table near the entrance for about four hours. You need to sit somewhere, right?
4. Third Paragraph: Second reason: Explain that the event can help the community because you plan to donate a percentage of your sales to a local charity. Offer to let THEM choose the charity, and they just might take you up on your offer. A win-win situation.
5. Last Paragraph: Thank them for taking the time to read your request, and express the hope that you will receive a reply soon. You may or may not hear a reply. If your request is refused, be polite, and try somewhere else. You just never know who might say yes!
6. Sign your name, and leave your contact information, along with the best time to reach you.
What you are probably wondering is how this will benefit YOU, the writer, the one who sacrificed Game of Thrones time, time with the spouse, and many hours of much-needed sleep. As you may have guessed, I'm going to tell you. Exposure, exposure, exposure. As a new writer, you can never have too much of this. When you sit there at your chosen place of business at a table full of shiny new copies of the book you wrote, you get the opportunity to chat with people about it, make a bit of money, and even get the thrill of signing autographs!

I am in the process of reading your book: 10 Step Plan to Promoting Your Book. I've found that I am doing some of this already! So happy about that! I am going to do these 10 steps religiously and keep my fingers, toes, eyes and anything else that is cross-able crossed!